


Souls of the Resilient

by FrostedGemstones22



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Dreamworks - Fandom, Frozen (2013), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Multi, Soul-Searching, Soulmates, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-16 17:52:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3497402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrostedGemstones22/pseuds/FrostedGemstones22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I promise Elsa; in any life, in any form, in any situation. I will find you, and we will be able to be happy together. Because I know, without a shadow of doubt, that me and you...we were always meant to be together." 100 AU one-shots of Jack and Elsa finding their soul mates again, again, and again. </p><p>These 100 AU one-shots can be read in the order that I post, or you can pick and choose which ones seem like a cool AU. It's totally up to you! </p><p>AU List (to be updated with each new chapter, so I don't spoil surprises!)</p><p>0-10: Preface; The Croods;<br/>11-20:<br/>21-30:<br/>31-40:<br/>41-50:<br/>51-60:<br/>61-70:<br/>71-80:<br/>81-90:<br/>90-100:</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! So, because my current ff Omphalos is wrapping up shortly, it's time to start my new project ;) So I bring to you, Souls of the Resilient.
> 
> This is, as the summary says, 100 separate one-shots that can be read chronologically, or read in preference to which AU-inspiried Elsa you think sounds interesting! It will go in date order, like from the first example in BC time all the way into the future!
> 
> I'm really excited to begin this journey, and I'm pretty sure after I don't know if I'll ever have the inspiration to write anything Jelsa related again (lol) but we'll see! This is the preface to tie it together, I suppose, explain some things that would otherwise be 'plot holes' and just give you a little idea of what's to come! Enjoy :)

I was here at the beginning, and I shall be here at the end. I see all. Often, the lives of mortals are insignificant to me. You fight, you hurt, you destroy. It seems as though little else happens over a span of time innumerable to minds too feeble to see beyond the brims of their own poison, and even then, they do not know what they are drinking. There are a few bright stars I watch, but they fizzle and crackle long and are long gone before it could really be memorable. Some heroes, some villains, some people that break free from all the normal, but are undeniably chasing the same problems that you humans always have.

I stopped paying attention long ago. But, I do suppose, there are two souls that catch my attention.

Who am I? You people would call me 'Death', although I'm just just death, but life too. There is no division between Life and Death; we are one in the same. It is like a circle, the two ends are always the closest and farthest it could ever be. My name is unpronounceable to your ears, impossible to understand, like a color you have never seen before, the metal frustration of trying to hear the smell of pine trees. But I am not as callous as some other deities, ones that are mighty and scoff at the populations that cycle through their domain, and therefore I will allow you to know me as the Lady of the Galaxy. Some wanderer called me of that eons ago, and for once in this time of existing, I found it to be what you mortals call...tranquility. A sense of belong, what have you, and ever since then I've used the moniker when reaching out to those that would otherwise wish to call me silly things like 'Lady' or 'Majesty.' I am far from queenly, and not much a lady, I admit.

But this is me, and I'm not here to discuss me. As I said, there are two that I examine with the most zealous inquiry.

You see, in the beginning of time, the world came together in a bang. In such a creation, souls began on that day too. Immortal fluttering pieces of galaxies that would one day be the people you see. Certain pieces of the universe shards of space and time and earth, were near each other in this bang. Some will pairs will be vagabonds for as far as I can tell, constantly passing each other and never finding peace. Others were not lucky enough at all to ever have such a connection with another, and will always be pining for something that can't be filled, that could never be filled. Others are considered lucky to find each other even in one format of life, no matter how much in other lives, they seem to be drawn to the place of the other, but ultimately humans, more often than not, choose the wrong paths.

It is difficult to describe to someone who has never felt it. There is an undeniable pull for these galaxies to find each other again, in any form they take. And this pair is the most persistent that I've ever seen.

I have watched these souls come through my gates and back out again more times than I can count. Every time I think they've entered a time in which they will not find each other, they do again. But I have yet to see a happy ending for them. It always ends in tragedy. Other souls were merely give up. There was indeed a time in which I thought that the pair had run their course, accepted the obstacles were permeant and that there could never be a happily ever after again. But then, they appeared once more.

And the cycle began again.

They exist in many forms, in many worlds, in many stories. Their names fluid, ever changing, like the water of life, in innumerable forms and variations, although, I suppose you would know them as 'Jack' and 'Elsa'.

My time does not flow like your time, otherwise some of their incantations would be physically impossible. Of course, mortals only can understand such physical limitations. To begin to explain what you cannot see would be an undertaking I'm not willing to begin, for one cannot possibly fathom the mysteries unraveled that I know.

So it's a lie; I watch these two souls with morbid curiosity, in such a way I do not watch anyone else.

And believe me, when I tell you, more than anyone...I truly wish one day, their souls can find each other for good, and find peace. If it does, perhaps, there is hope for your kind yet.


	2. The Croods Au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter! Yeah! I have some very important notes for anyone reading this. Please read this stuff guys, because if a reviewer comes and complains about something I discuss or warn or inform you about in this, I'm very likely to literally copy and past the paragraph in question. So, just, it might clear some things up, how this will go!
> 
> Forms: Depending on the story, obviously Jack and Elsa will have different names. Regarding the culture or style, their names will change, although I'll try to keep it as close to recognizable as I can. Their appearances might also change. Sometimes Jack will be magical and Jack Frost, sometimes he will be normal and he will be Jack Overland. Sometimes Elsa will have magic, sometimes not. Sometimes, depending on what story I'm doing, their appearances might change drastically. So we're going to have gender-bend, race-bend, weight-bending (ALL THE BENDING) in different chapters. So if that's you're thing, you have that to look forward to. On the same page, sometimes their family or siblings will be their siblings, sometimes not. It just depends on what the one-shot needs for the story to be told in the best way. So, bottom line- names and looks subject to change.
> 
> Time: When you have a lot of inspirations of AU's (100!) a lot of the times will start to overlap. Like, more than one thing will take place in 1900 A.D. The preface covers this a bit, that it is 'possible' for them to be in two different times, because even though I am telling this story in order, the Lady of the Galaxy does not see time like we do!
> 
> Inspiration: Some of the stories will be more closely to the plot than others, so don't come to me saying 'that's not how it was in the movie' or whatever, because chances are I'm not doing it exactly like that. Some stories ride very closely to the original inspiration- like the Aladdin one. Some brush through similar ideas, like this one, the Croods. Some just literally take the inspiration of the world or story, like the Avatar: TLA one which Elsa is Water Tribe but it's not following any specific couple.
> 
> Length: This is a practice for me, and so none of these are terribly broadened out. My goal is at least 10 pages per one-shot, but depending how engrossed I am, it might be much longer. So, they're by no means full stories. But, if you feel so inspired by one and want to take it and expand it into your own multi-chap, as long as you credit back to me, totally fine! I'd feel honored to be part of your muse. Be sure to send me a link!
> 
> Couples: The only main and constant couple is Jelsa. I kinda like to ship everyone with everyone; everyone is a shipping bike. So don't be upset if Rapunzel is happily married to Peter Pan or something, saying that she NEEDS to be with Flynn Rider. Nope; they're not the ones that are soul mates and finding each other in this story, Jelsa is. There might even be moments for certain stories where Jack or Elsa is with someone else, but they will always be most drawn to each other. You'll see!
> 
> Ending/Note on Tragedy: The Lady in the Galaxy said that most of these stories of them end in tragedy. I think you can imagine what that means...in a lot, one dies, or circumstances stronger than either pull them apart. Even if they seem happy at the end of some, they're not fully together, because they're still reborn and have to find each other once again. The very last chapter will show them truly together in a place where they can always be without having to struggle against life to get to each other. So if you post a review like, "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU KILLED OFF blank' I will likely copy and past this to you. You have been warned!
> 
> Part 1: The Croods- 2.58 million B.C.

"Esa! You awake yet; you know what day it is, c'mon! Everyone's waiting."

Esa blearily opened her eyes, blinking a moment to adjust to the darkness that greeted her, just as dark in color as when her eyes were closed. Although, after a few moments of silence, she register her sister Aha, looming over her with a smile of crooked teeth.

"Dark day?" Esa teased, all too hopefully, but her sister gave her a playful shove as she began to stand.

"Outside day!" Aha reminded, rolling her eyes, "I just don't understand why you dislike it so much, Esa."

"She's terrified of outside." The snort came from the entrance of the cave door, where Fyn, leaned against the rock, his arm slung around his companion, Rup.

"It's good to be terrified." Esa snapped back at him, "Terror keeps us alive."

"Okay, okay, yes, but I'm starved." Aha brushed her words away, like usual, patting her pelted dress in exasperation, "Please, Esa."

Even with the smirking faces and sly comments of Fyn, the way that Rup kept looking at the tiny sliver of light that escaped from underneath the rock, and Aha's persistence, they were waiting for her. Esa was, as it were, the leader and the most valuable of them all.

With a long sigh, Esa motioned for Fyn to help her move the rock aside. The light was blinding, and Esa stood motionless, watching with a slight bite in frustration of her teeth as the trio bounded out ahead of her.

"There could have been a lion out there, waiting for all of you!" Esa chastised, glaring hard as she followed her friends out, all of which who were basking in the sunlight.

"But you'd protect us." Rup said with a wide smile, the naivety twisting Esa's heart.

"One day, I might not be here. And you all won't be so lucky." Esa hissed angrily, turning on her feet to go back near the darkness of the cave. Rup got a hard glare from Aha, although she didn't feel her sister following her. She knew they were all hungry; it had been a week since their last meal; but Esa was too upset at their stupidity at the moment. But, after a couple seconds, she shook her head, and turned. She was responsible for all these people, even if she was hardly a year older than any one of them.

All their parents were dead. It was tragic, she supposed, but it was hardly uncommon in this sort of lie. People died all the time; from flus, creatures much bigger than themselves that found them to be a tasty lunch, to common things like tripping over the side of a cliff and dying. Esa and Aha's parents had taken in Rup as a child; she was their kin, the daughter of her mother's sister. Fyn appeared when Rup was a just a cub, hardly more than eight moon sets old, and they'd taken in another mouth, because her parents were kind people.

But only less than a moon set ago, her parents had just...vanished. Gone out hunting and never returned.

How could anyone be surprised, of course. It wasn't like it was the least expected thing. Everytime they left, Esa had the sinking feeling that they might not come back this time. That time, it merely became a reality. Life had to go on, even if they did not.

Esa was not only the leader because of her age- and thusly, her higher experience- but because of her...other self. It was an odd thing, that no one quite knew what it was, but it was sort of like water, but cold. And she could command it at will. In a world where everything was new and unusual, her parents were of course initially surprised, but eventually came to terms. Others found it strange, but they all had died out years ago, leaving the little niche that Esa commanded to maybe be the last of their kind around.

She hadn't seen any more humans in three moon sets.

Without a word, she strode up to the group, and gave a little grin.

"Whose ready to eat?"

After the hunt, Aha was less than satisfied.

"That's it?" Aha huffed after their meal, "Esa, I'm still starved! That was hardly enough to feed a baby."

"Well, it was enough before and enough now." Esa snapped, "It will keep us alive until the next hunt."

"But I'm sure if we continue, we could eat more." Aha pressed, "I don't want to wait another who knows how long to eat." She whined.

"Do you see that?" Esa pointed to the sky, "It will be dark soon. You know better than to risk us hunting after dark. That's how Meri died, don't you remember?" Esa didn't like using the 'Meri' card- or Aha's best friend before her death, but it did the trick for Aha quieted instantly.

"She wasn't being cautious." Aha murmured softly, still rebelling a bit, "I would be."

Esa knit her eyebrows together, and Rup intervened. "But if we lost you, we'd all be devastated, Aha." She said, exactly what Esa needed her to say. It was clear that she wasn't going to listen to her elder sister, "Right Fyn?" Rup said, narrowing her eyes at him meaningfully.

"Ah, well, I mean-," He began to say, until Rup kicked a rock at him behind Aha's back, "I mean, yes. I'd cry for days." He said, trying to look sincere as he nodded.

Aha rolled her eyes, "You're a lousy liar, Fyn." She said, punching him on the arm as she passed.

"Good!" Esa said, coming to throw her arm around her sister and Rup, "Now that it's been figured out, let's go home." She said, looking up into the sky with trepidation. It was much darker than she would have liked out.

They were almost back to the cave when Aha stopped. She stopped in a way that it was a great many paces before Esa realized. She spun around, seeing her sister staring dazed at the rocks.

"Aha! What are you doing? We need to go." Esa said, but when she didn't respond, stalked up, grabbing her sister's arm hard, "What are you looking at?" She questioned.

"Huh?" Aha said, jumping into focus, "Oh, erm...it was just a bird."

"You stopped us for a bird?" Fyn rolled his eyes, "Esa, I think Aha might have come down with something. She's going...well, you know." He said, making circle motions around his head.

"I am not! I see that, Fyn!" Aha replied, scowling at him, "I just...it was a bird I'd never seen before." She said in explanation.

"It's probably dangerous." Esa assured, "Better to stay away from it."

"I knew you'd say that. That's why I didn't show you it." Aha wrenched her arm away from Esa's grip, "You probably would have scared it away just to spite me."

"Now you're being silly." Esa sighed in frustration, "Let's go. We have just enough time to get back to the cave!"

Aha was in a particularly weird mood all the rest of the night. She wasn't focused on anything. When she was helping to roll the rock in front of the door, she wasn't watching where she was pushing and rolled it over Fyn's foot. In result, he had a broken toe or two, which they just had to hope would heal in a way that wouldn't cause him to slow down in the future. The very idea of healing people was an abstract thing. Esa always wondered if there was ways to alleviate such pains, but alas, if they were, they were far and unknown to her.

Aha was also distracted during story time, even though it was her turn to tell it. She trailed off more than once when she was drawing on the cave walls, leaving long red lines ghosting down the walls, like a bloody handprint. In the end, Fyn took over, ending her story with death (although she didn't object, like she usually would have) and this worried Esa. She go the acute feeling it was not just a mere bird that Aha had seen that day.

As Fyn and Rup fell into a sleep curled up together, Esa noticed from her higher perch that Aha was sitting awake, blinking into the darkness.

"Aha..." Esa hissed through the black, and her sister jumped at the voice.

"Great moons, Esa, you scared me!" Aha said, turning to her, "What?"

"Why don't you sleep?" Esa said, slithering off the higher rock, "You must be exhausted. You ran the most today." She prompted cautiously.

"I just...I can't. I'm anxious about something, I can feel it, but I don't know what." She said. Esa scoffed.

"Mom used to think she felt things too. It's all in your head, you know that." Esa said, and realizing it did little to convince her sighed, "So what bird did you see today?" She questioned.

"Bird?" Aha asked without hesitation, "What are you-ah." There was a moment of remembrance...or realization. Esa suspected the latter, "Uh, normal, I guess. Red."

"Red bird?" Esa raised an eyebrow, "What made it so special if you say it was normal?"

"It wasn't anything, Esa. Hardly worth talking about." Aha said dismissing it, pushing her sister away, "Seriously, it was just a bird." Her tone hurt Esa a little, even if she knew deep down her sister hadn't seen a 'new bird' today as she claimed. Aha yawned, and turned, "I'm a little tired after all. I guess...goodnight, Esa."

Esa sighed, standing up, "Night Aha." She whispered dejectedly, climbing back up to her own bed. After seeing her sister fall asleep, Esa felt content to let herself drift off.

She awoke with a start sometime later.

She realized something was wrong from the moment she awakened. Primarily, it was still dark. They, as they were at this point, slept off most of the time in their cave, and very rarely awoke during the night still. If they did, she had the sense it was a different day. Not so tonight, Esa was quite convinced it was still the same day.

The second thing that tipped her off was that she could see Fyn and Rup clearly; even though it was mostly dark in their cave, those two were bathed in moonlight.

Her eyes widened in fear, snapping her head toward the cave door. It was open. And Aha was nowhere to be found.

Esa didn't mean to wake Rup and Fyn when she got down to peer outside, but being extremely quite was hardly the first thing on her mind.

"Esa, why are you awake?" Rup questioned, rubbing her eyes and wincing at the bright light spilling on her face.

"Aha left the cave." Esa replied back, frantically curling her finger around a white piece of her hair over and over again.

"What?" Fyn all but yelled, snapping awake, "Is she stupid?"

"We don't know why she did it!" Rup hit him, glaring, "It could have been anything...like...erm..." But she trailed off, making Esa gnaw her teeth at the agreement of her words; there was no good reason to leave the cave.

"She'll be dead by morning." Fyn said in acceptance, settling back down. Rup's eyes widened in shock.

"That's it? You're just going to go to sleep?" She cried, her pitch reaching a squealing tone.

"Well, what do you want me to do? Risk my neck because she was suicidal?" He asked back.

"Yes!" Rup said, standing, and pulling her pelt down to cover her knees, "That's what she'd do for us if it were reversed."

"No, he's right." Esa gave a heavy sigh, "You stay here. I'll go and find her. You shouldn't risk yourselves."

"But Esa..." Rup began to protest, but Esa held up a hand.

"I am the best choice for this. I can defend myself, you can't...not well enough at night, at least." She said. Rup looked terribly torn, but in the end, nodded, watching their leader with intense eyes.

"When should we close it back up?" Fyn asked in a throaty tone, "Assume you're both..." He shuddered, unable to finish. Esa checked the sky, calculating in her head.

"No later than sun high." She said, "Aha couldn't have gotten far, I doubt. I should have enough time to track her down and bring her back by then." She said, "If I'm not. Close it up. You'd be the leader then, Fyn."

Fyn blushed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck, "Hard to be a leader when there's only two." He mumbled, looking at Rup with a small smile.

"Actually," Rup said in a tiny voice, "Three."

Esa's eyes widened.

"You've been blessed with a child?" She gaped, grinning in amazement. Rup nodded slowly.

"It's been awhile. I wanted to be sure before I got anyone excited." She said. Esa gave an appreciative grin.

"See, Fyn, leader of three isn't bad." She teased. Fyn ruffled his hair.

"Well, Aha will have to come back when she hears this. She'd be upset if she missed a baby." Fyn said, "I have faith you'll return."

Esa sighed, looking outside, "I wished I shared your thoughts, but from experience, I am wary." With that, she ducked into the night.

She figured that the first place to go was to find where the bird was, but it had been on an indistinguishable cliff from all the rest, and Esa found herself wandering blindly through the sands near their cave. There were heavy winds that night, erasing any footprints Aha might have left previously. Esa jumped at every noise, cursing repeatedly in her head that her sister could have been so utterly dimwitted as to leave the cave at night!

It was just turning into daylight when Esa was about to give up. There was no sign her sister had come this way, or anything else. She didn't want to give up, of course, by the time ticking closer to sun high was shortening with each passing second. Soon, it would be too late for either of them. And now, with a small one coming, Esa felt it even more strongly that she should return. Fyn would have no idea how to deliver one, it was bloody awful process in every sense of the word. And Rup, oh Rup, she seemed so young and all, and Esa doubted she would have any first clue about it. She'd be terrified when the pains started. Esa was lucky enough to have helped her mother when Aha was born, and took pride that she felt as a more so important member of their little team because of it.

There was a flicker of a shadow to her lift, and Esa turned, hands out, ready to freeze whatever came near. Instead, it was something else entirely.

"Esa!" Aha breathed, a little surprised, "What are you doing?"

"Looking for you!" Esa cried, putting her arms down, running over and grabbing her sister, "What in the world are you thinking? Leaving the cave at night? Moons, Aha, you're worse than a child! You put us all in danger and Rup and Fyn are worried sick! I can't believe it!" She cried, and Aha flinched at her words.

"I don't need you to protect me." Aha said, "I survived all night just fine, clearly. I was coming to get you, oh, Esa, I've found the most marvelous thing!"

"A bird?" Esa scoffed, dragging her sister back near the cave, "Come on! Hurry up. I told Fyn that if we weren't back by sun high to close the rock."

Aha checked the sky, eyes widening in alarm, "Why would you tell him that?" She cried, "It's nearly there!"

"Because," Esa said, quickening her step, "It would be stupid to put him at risk if we were dead. And Rup too, especially that she is having a baby."

"A baby?" Aha squealed.

"Shush! With noises like that, you'll alert the whole world to our existence." Esa lectured, and the pair of sisters hastened back to the cave. Aha said nothing, but focused on getting back in time, but it was clear there was something weighing heavily on her mind.

The rock was hardly moved pack into the place when Aha turned around in the darkness, her very eyes springing wide with excitement. "I found others!" She cried, jumping up and down, and to her dismay, no one had the same reaction, "Guys!" She complained.

"Others?" Esa repeated cautiously, "As in..."

"Other people, what else?" She rolled her eyes, "Duh. That's what I saw yesterday, oh, I had to make sure, Esa. You understand it. We'll die out just the four of us."

Esa shook her head in a sharp jolt, "Impossible." She felt her mouth parch, "We're the last ones. It's been moon sets, Aha." She began to stutter and feel her other side creeping up her body like a vine, and she shoved her hands deep underneath her armpits to keep from doing something accidentally.

"But I'm sure of it." Aha said, "They're waiting for us."

"As in...more than one?" Rup asked quietly, a gentle excitement in her eyes too now.

"A whole group! So much larger than ours, they're all our age too." Aha said, "At least twenty."

"That's more people than we've ever seen together." Fyn accused with a narrowed eye, "Did you see them?"

"Well," Aha blushed a bit at his hinted done, "No..."

"You believe things too easily, Aha." Esa sniffed, "I don't trust them. They're not us."

"Esa, would you stop it! They're trying to help us. He's trying to help us." Aha snapped her way, and Esa's whole face morphed.

"He...?" She repeated, "He?" She looked at Fyn and back to Aha, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes, "That's what this is all about. You're obsession with finding a companion!" She realized. It was thing of myth, Esa had thought. She didn't know how her parents had found each other, but they had, and she was sure they might be an anomaly. There hadn't been a lot of other pairs in those that had died out. The very concept that a mother and father were needed to create a child was still quite foreign; if Rup was with child, she was blessed, and since Fyn was her partner, he would be the 'father'.

Therefore, since Esa was unsure she ever wanted to be blessed with a child, the idea of a companion seemed rather silly to her. But her sister...she'd become dazed and deluded with fantastical ideas of a loving companion that would share things with her and connect, whatever the heck that meant. That would love her in a different way than she loved her parents or her sister. It was a wild bird chase, to Esa, because there simply wasn't anyone else out there.

"He." Aha confirmed in a small voice, "And Esa...he's like you...but with the sun."

At this, Fyn gave a loud bark of laughter, "Good joke!" He said, "The sun...in his hands? Like Esa? Ridiculous!"

"No, really!" Aha seemed gradually frustrated at her friend's lack of belief, "His name is Han and he holds fire in his hands! It's really warm, and it can cook things, and-," She began to blabber, but Esa cut her off.

"Aha, your stories are quite entertaining." She said, "but there is a time and place for it- the storytelling wall."

"You don't believe me!" Aha blanched, startling back, "Well fine! I'm going to go with him anyway. He told me I'm beautiful and he'd wait for me until tonight!" She said, stalking over to the stone.

"Woah," Fyn skidded in front of her, "Hey. No way."

"Fyn's right." Esa said, grabbing her sister's arm, "I'm not letting you chase some dream that doesn't exist!"

Aha spat in her sister's direction, "What are you so afraid of? You're going to die having done nothing at all, which is no life at all!" She cried.

"Better than dying early because of stupidity!" Esa shot back, "Mom and dad-,"

"Enough about them!" Aha grabbed at her deep red hair, "They're gone, Esa! Stop acting like you're them!" She stomped her foot, and the whole cave shook. At first, everyone was in shock, and Rup took a sharp intake.

"Did you do that?" She asked with scared eyes.

"No, she couldn't-" Esa began, but another rumble rocked them to the ground.

"Ah." Aha coughed a bit of the cave dust that rained down, "Han also said something about the end of the world coming...? This might be it." She added a bit sheepishly.

"And you thought right now as a good time to tell us? Great moons!" Fyn cussed underneath his breath.

"Would you have believed me?" Aha questioned.

"Esa, what do we do?" Rup cried, trying to stand, but to be knocked back down. Fyn leaped to her side, checking her frantically for injury. Esa froze, her mind racing and her hands out splayed, unable to think.

"We go to Han and the others! He'll lead us." Aha said, and pressed at the rock, "Fyn, help!"

Fyn jumped into action, leaving Esa still in shock on the ground. She watched through a hazy glass-like view as her friends pushed the rock with all their might, shoving it aside to reveal a dusty world on the outside, rocks crumbling everywhere.

"Esa!" Aha cried, "Come on!"

"I'm...I'm afraid..." Esa scrambled back, pressing herself further into the darkness, "It's dangerous out there."

"It's dangerous in here." Fyn argued, "Come on. We need you, Esa."

Esa was immobile for another couple seconds, until a shard of stone sliced through the air and down her arm, creating an arrow of bubbling blood down her arm. Jarred forward in pain and a surge of panic, she threw herself outside the cave just as it collapsed in on itself. Anna was already pressing forward, ducking as rocks barreled down from the sky.

Esa didn't know what to do; they couldn't go back, but she didn't want to go forward either. But it was the best choice, and if she didn't force herself to move, she'd be soon left behind by her friends who were running away from the world crumbling around them.

The ran and ran until the devastation behind them came to a halt, and when Esa looked around, the world around her was now unrecognizable. Her cozy canyon cave-dwelling was a grave-yard of stones, the river that once ran near it and provided them with water was a muddy red, and the trees that had sustained them with the occasional fruit were felled, laying pathetically on the ground.

"What now?" Rup's voice quivered, "It's all gone."

Aha gave a sly grin, and she nodded to something behind all of them. Esa whipped around to see a tall and lean man walking toward them; hair as red as the rocks of the canyon, eyes as green as the leaves.

"Aha!" He said, smiling, "You came." His eyes slid over to the rest of the group, "And you brought everyone else." His last statement was undecipherable; Esa could not tell if he was pleased or not.

"What happened back there!" Fyn demanded roughly, stalking up to the man, "Aha said something that you knew about this. Did you do it?"

"Me?" The man looked baffled, "I don't have that sort of power. No...the entire world is falling in on itself."

Rup whimpered, and Esa stepped forward.

"Where is safe, then?" She demanded, "Where can we go to avoid this?"

The man regarded Esa with cold eyes for a couple seconds before he spoke, "Those peaks there, after them. I have good reason to believe that others that have gone that route say that it is nothing like here and will keep us safe." He replied.

"Can you be positive?"

"I can't be sure of anything, girl." The derogatory way he spoke to her flared an anger inside of Esa that had never been felt before. She took a step forward without knowing it , until Aha was rushing between them.

"Han! Esa! Please?" She said, and Esa startled back. This was Han? The man she was so engrossed with? He seemed so...awful! Arrogant, deceiving, cold...this was not how she had ever imagined the person her sister would want for a companion. She held her tongue though, sometimes, first impressions were difficult. She would cast her judgement later.

"Well, I suppose I should take you to the others, and then we all can continue moving. Another couple hours, and we would have been long gone." He said, although Esa wasn't sure if it was a threat or a fact.

The rest of the group lounged on the other side of the ridge. Esa could see that Aha had not been lying about the size; it spanned more people mingling together than she'd ever seen all at once.

"Are you all from the same family?" Rup questioned, "There's so many of you!"

"We're a clan." Han said, looking confused at her question, "Some of us are related, mostly, but not too intimately to not find mates."

"Mates?" Rup tilted her head. Han gave a scoff.

"Neanderthals." He hissed under his breath, "Uneducated..."

Esa straightened sharply at the insult, and looked at Aha, who seemed blissfully unaware of the comment.

Down in the valley, everyone moved to welcome them.

"Han, who did you drag back?" A tall boy with brown hair asked.

"I'm Aha! And this is Esa, my sister, and my friends Rup and Fyn!" Aha jumped up to greet him, shaking his hand enthusiastically.

"I'm Hic. The leader and main inventor of the clan." He replied, a little bemused at her bridling excitement, but Esa relaxed around him all the same. He seemed moons away from Han, "If you all want to join us, I gotta tell you, we all carry some sort of weight around here. What can you all do?" He questioned. On one hand, Esa found it terribly unfair that he'd kick them out if they were not useful, but at the same time- leader to leader- she could admire him making the harder choices that normal people couldn't possible understand.

"Well, I'm the fastest runner and best hunter of my group. Is that good enough?" Aha asked.

"Of course. Anyone who can contribute to food is well received." A blonde woman beside Hic smiled at her, "Welcome." The rest of the tribe echoed the word, and Esa watched Hic's eyes slide over to Rup.

"I'm not good at much," She began with a quiet tone, "I like to draw though, but-,"

"She's also blessed with child." Fyn cut in, rather proudly, and there was a couple smiles and aww's from the females of the group. The blonde woman again smiled broadly.

"Me too. We can travel together. My name is Asta." She said, pulling Rup toward her, warmly smiling, "Don't worry about other jobs; a child is a job enough for now!" Esa found herself chuckling a bit at her humor, and it seemed to put Rup at ease. Hic turned to Fyn.

"Me?" Fyn stretched, "Well, apart from being her companion, I'm a master at many things." He said, smiling with a tone of arrogance.

"Such as...?"

"Ah, well," Fyn gave a casual shrug, "You'll figure them out."

Hic's eyebrows rose in slight understanding, and Esa got the idea he saw right through him, but nodded either way. "I suppose I will. And you?" He looked at Esa last.

"Well, I was the leader of this group up until today. I also assisted my mother with Aha's birth, and learned from her, so I can help the process." Esa said confidently. Hic nodded in appraisal, and was about to move on, until Aha jumped in.

"She also has power like Han!" Aha cried, and Esa flinched inwardly. This drew everyone's- literally everyone's-attention toward Esa, "It's just like his, but cold." Aha breathed enthusiastically.

"Really?" Hic stroked his chin, "Please, enlighten me."

Esa ground her teeth in frustration, but showed them. She first created a ball of cold powder on her fingers, handing it to Hic who nodded at it with further curiosity. She was in the middle of making the ground slick with cold when a jolt of pain ran up her arm. It was then she recalled her injury from the cave-in.

"Quite fascinating." Hic seemed neither shocked nor enthralled at her powers, which she found extremely strange, "You're hurt. I'll have our healer, Cris, look at it before it gets infected."

"You can heal things?" Rup asked. Asta laughed.

"We have figured a great many things out..."

The crowd began to disperse, and Hic announced they'd leave in the morning. A muscular man with light yellow hair came over to her, his face emotionless. She was unsure if she was going to let him do anything to it, but he grabbed it without asking, and began to rub it with a cloth. She winced at the pain, sizing up, but his grip held strong.

Esa's eyes began to wander. Everyone seemed so at ease, all doing their own thing, as if they just knew that's what they should do. And no one seemed afraid at all to be out in the open. It was so...abnormal.

Her eyes connected with a man she had not seen in the crowd previously, and she knew she would have recalled him, for his hair was as white as her own. He was looking at her quite intently, but when she looked his way, his eyes flickered to the ground. She felt his eyes follow her the rest of the the night.

Finally, at day-break, as everyone was sharing some strange food Esa had never seen (but tasted good) she found herself fed up with it and turned to him.

"What?" She asked, "Who are you? Why are you looking at me?" She questioned, her fingers running up the slit in her arm unconsciously.

The man's eyes narrowed. "Jak." He replied, "And I..." He began to say, but snapped his mouth shut, "Never mind."

Esa could tell he purposely put himself far in front, near Hic, so that he would not continue to look at her. They did not stop all day, even though Esa's feet ached and had red sores on them, and her muscles screamed in protest. They were fit, of course, but used to smaller spurts of energy, not this long and drawn out kind that taxed them. By the time they stopped for the night, Esa let herself collapse onto the ground. Her friends seemed well emerged into the group; Fyn and Rup stayed near Asta and the pair of girls twittered with laughter. Aha basically hung over Han, who seemed not not mind it, but Esa had yet to see anything redeeming about him. She narrowed her eyes at him across the sun on the earth- which she had learned was called 'fire' and Han could create it from his hand, although there were indeed other ways, but she was sure he did not see her.

"How are you?" Hic surprised Esa. She jumped a bit as he sat down next to her, handing her a piece of meat that was dry, but still surprisingly tasty. Esa chewed on it thoughtfully.

"I'm fine. It's been a long day though." She said.

"Mhh. I noticed you sitting alone here while your companions are with the others." He said, nodding to where everyone sat amongst Hic's people. Esa gave him a wry smile.

"It's how I've always been." She answered with a shrug, "Too young to be among my parents, too old to be with Aha. I learned to revel in the solitude."

"Seems lonely." Hic said. Esa swallowed back some bile.

"No," She lied, "It's fine. He, what's up with Jak?" Esa asked, changing the subject.

"What's up with Jak what?" Hic questioned.

"He kept staring at me, and when I confronted him, he stopped, but I mean...he just glared at me. I don't understand it. Have I offended him in some way?" She asked.

Hic only chuckled, "Oh, well, that. Naw, don't worry about it. Jak's an interesting kid, and I think it's unnerving to him that someone is now around here that's like him."

Esa studied Hic with a hmm, "We're alike?" She said dubiously.

"Oh yes." Hic said, standing, "You'll figure out..." He made a vague motion with his hands, "Eventually."

With that, he left Esa to her silence. She was settling into a fur sleeping square when someone on the ground shifted next to her. She expected her sister, but turned to see Jak rolling out his own.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, shocked.

"Laying here. Got a problem with that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no, but-," Esa began and Jak shot her a grin, one that she hadn't expected at all from his pervious expressions. And it was such an easy, casual grin, a grin that made something in the tips of her fingers stir and twitch.

"Good. Night, Esa." He said, and turned over to fall asleep.

Esa did not sleep at all that night.

In the morning, as they walked on, he stayed closer to her. He didn't talk much to Esa, except for the occasional jest in her direction, or a sarcastic comment directed at someone else who usually brushed it off with an eye-roll at him, but Esa found his presence calming. She also observed that her first idea of him, this stoic and gloomy man, was quite wrong, as sometimes it seemed he was as childish as Aha when she was a child. Hic seemed to be constantly sighing in exasperation, turning to Jak.

"Come on, get out of that lake, Jak. We need to keep walking." He would say, or, "Jak, put that poor animal down. No, we don't need another pet. The last one ate my favorite leafbook." Or, Esa's personal favorite, "Jak- get out of that tree, or so help me, I will turn this entire clan around."

Esa couldn't help but small giggles escape from her lips as Jak hung upside down in a tree that, well, she didn't even know how he climbed in the first place.

"You take the fun out of literally everything, Hic." Jak said, pulling himself onto the branch, "Seriously, c'mon."

"Jak, do I need to remind you of the impending death behind us?" Hic pointed back at the dust hanging in the air, which was now a good long distance past them, but catching up, "Or should I leave you here to die?"

Jak grumbled as he got down, giving Hic a playful glare. "You're no fun since you became leader." His eyes narrowed in on Esa's smile, "Even Esa thinks it's funny. She's a leader too." He said with a hint of triumph.

"Oh, no, I-," Esa said and Aha cackled.

"Esa? Find something like that funny? I think you're mistaken, Jak. Esa doesn't have a sense of humor."

"Ah, well," Jak said clapping his hands behind his head, "Guess I was imagining a different stunningly beautiful women." He said, winking at Esa. She felt her cheeks grow hot at his compliment, but everyone seemed to brush off his comment, as if it was common. This made her feel a little better, but at the same time, awful.

It was the tenth night of traveling in which he sat by her again, but this time, he brought with him something in his hands.

"I noticed your feet are a bit swollen." He said, sitting next to her and handing her the cloth wrappings like everyone else had, "Guess you gusy didn't figure out shoes either."

"No,' Esa said, examining them, "I suppose not." She was constantly floored by the ingenuity in this tribe; most stemming from Hic, although it seemed almost everyone had contributed a good idea at one point. Jak sat down, digging his stick that he always had with him into the dirt so it stood on it's own. He didn't say anything, just watched as she put them on her feet.

"Hic says we're alike..." Esa began quietly, broaching the question that had been on her mind since it was said.

"He did now." Jak said, a tinge of anger behind it, "Did he say...why?"

"No, he said I'd figure it out eventually." Esa said, and Jack relaxed.

"Ah, well. Yeah. You will." he seemed to wish not to talk about it any further, and Esa accepted that. Everyone deserved to have a secret, and he seemed like one day he'd tell her. She heard Rup giggle across the camp, and Esa smiled fondly at her, seeing her rub her stomach, because now there was a slight bump protruding from her stomach.

"I take it Fyn is the father?" Jak said, "Unless her other guy tragically died somewhere..."

"Well, he will be." Esa said, finding his wording strange. Men weren't fathers until the child was born, as there was nothing they could do for it now.

"Will be?" Jak seemed equally confused at her answer. Esa explained her thoughts to him, and Jak snorted.

"I say this in the most loving of ways, but you guys really have figured nothing out." He said. Esa blanched at him. She put her hands on her hips.

"Just what in the world do you mean?" She asked, puckering her lips into a frown.

"You know, the mammoths and the moths talk?" Jak said, waving his hand above his head. Esa tilted hers.

"I'm...not following." She admitted, feeling stupid for not knowing something, once again, that Jak did.

"Well, it takes...two people for a kid, you know." Suddenly, Jak seemed just as flustered as her, "Ah, some greater power doesn't decide it as you seem to think. I like it better that way, it's up to us the people, you know, to decide fates and stuff."

"Oh?" Esa frowned, although intrigued, "So...how do we decide."

"Erm, well..." Jak interlocked his fingers, "I think a girl should tell you, not me."

Esa gave him a look, "Oh, why can't you just tell me?" She asked. Jak stuttered.

"It's...something that...ah..." he shot up suddenly, as if the seat was on fire, "Asta!" He bellowed across the clearing, "Come over here!" Esa wasn't' sure why, but she took some pride in seeing red billow across his cheeks.

He exchanged words with Asta, who began to laugh hysterically, and slapped Jack across the back hard and winked at him before coming over her.

"So," She said, standing in front of Esa with a full on smirk, "Apparently, you're kind doesn't know the ins and outs of it? Might as well learn..." She said, taking the newly vacant seat next to Esa.

In the morning, Esa still didn't understand why Jak seemed so...afraid to explain it to her. It answered a lot of questions she'd had, and felt better with this deeper understanding, but it seemed natural to her. They must do it to survive their kind. And, it was an instinct, as Asta had explained. A burning. Esa was pretty sure she knew that burning.

Then a thought hit her, as to why Jak averted his eyes from her today, and whenever he did, that scarlet flower bloomed across his face...did he want to do that...with her? Asta had also told her that for most animals, it was purely on instinct, but humans...they also did it for pleasure. It was a way to show a deeper bond than just friendship.

Esa suddenly felt herself becoming flushed too, and told herself she was going to act natural about it and not bring it up. When she said nothing about it in her first greeting to Jak, he seemed glad. Soon, he talked to her again without any awkwardness, and it seemed both had attempted to shove it to the very backs of their minds. But, especially for Esa, as she learned more and more about what this tribe knew about bodies and feelings, she was acutely aware of it digging into her subconscious. Most strangely, she found herself looking at Jak in a new and unique light.

She learned his secret after thirty nights of traveling. It seemed that the mountain stayed static, it never moved, closer nor farther away. It was also a blip on the horizon, an unreachable goal, the end. But when would it ever end?

Slowly, Esa was becoming better integrated with everyone. There were so many colorful people, so many different skills that she took her time during the down-time to examine. Essy was a dancer, and when she twirled on the balls of her feet against the fire-light and shook a dried out shell filled with rocks to make a beat, it was something so primal that Esa had never experienced. Ari sang, soulful sounds that didn't mean anything but meant everything all at once. Hir and Tad worked with Hic and made inventions, and ti seemed everyday they had something new to try out. Some worked...a lot, not so much. But it was so invigorating to see it happen. Esa even began to contribute; on the hottest days, she would work hard and made the cold water and cut it into pieces for people to rub over their sweaty skin. Jak watched her with a happy smile that she couldn't quite figure out.

Even Han seemed like a much more pleasurable person. He had a certain way he talked that enchanted people; made them laugh, made them want to listen to him. It was almost a magic, a sorcery. And the healer, Cris, was a particular fellow too that Esa enjoyed being around. While a grand majority of people flocked Han for his ability to create fire, Cris preferred the coldness Esa exuded. He was just as silent as the day she'd met him, but there was a sarcasm and judgement about him that was so silent that if you weren't looking for his raised eyebrow or smirk, you'd miss it. Esa had never felt such a feeling of...of togetherness. And more than anything, she wanted to be closer to Jak.

Jak's secret came with a danger. They were taking a one-day rest. The 'world ending' seemed to have paused, and it came just in time, for Asta started to feel the pain of a child coming. Hic was nearly inconsolable, and had to be banned from the tent from pelts they pitched over a cave entrance for her, and Esa knew she had to go out and try to find some of the special herbs her father had gotten for her mother to help with the pain. She could still recall the leaves and the color of it moon sets later, and it stuck in her mind with such a concentration she didn't notice anything else.

And this is where the tiger attacked her.

Esa felt claws strike down her back, and her sharp cry was loud enough to wake the whole village. She turned around, shooting her magic at him, and the tiger startled back, unexpected to be fought back with. He had clearly thought she was going to be an easy target. Even with the excruciating pain flaming down her back, Esa limped away at the fastest pace she could back toward the camp. She cussed herself for being so distracted, and her leg that lagged behind caught on a root. Esa twisted forward sharply, hitting the green ground with a thud as loud as her hear-beat that echoed in her head. Dizzily, she could almost feel the tiger stalking her. The scent of her blood alone was enough, but now, here she was, a sitting bird.

She turned onto her back, and cried out as the dirt connected with the deep scars, sending stars across her vision. She felt herself fading out just as Jak leapt through the foliage like a wild man, swinging his stick around like a warrior.

"Esa!"

The coldness snapped her to focus. She was sitting upright, and her back was sticky with dried blood and the back of her cloaks sticking to her skin like sap. She looked up and saw the tiger encased in ice, suspended between the spider-web of trees. Deep confusion wiggled through her mind; she had fallen out of this world. She couldn't have possibly done that.

Then she noticed Jak, standing underneath it, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. His feet were bare, and where he stepped, white frost made the grasp crisp and dead. The staff he held was cracking with cold, solid water where he gripped it.

"Are you okay?" He asked, dropping down next to her, and she leaned forward, and he peeled back her ripped cloth, scowling, "This is ruined." He said, "Not even fixable."

HIs eyes looked up at the tiger frozen, and Esa followed his look. A thousand questions wanted to pour from her lips, but when she opened them, only the faintest breath of air escaped. Jak was either oblivious to her confusion, or chose to ignore it. If it was the latter, he was doing a darn good job. Then again, he seemed genuinely worried for her.

"The plant, for Asta!" Esa struggled forward, but Jak shoved her back down.

"No, no, no." He said, shaking his head, "I'll find it later." He said.

"Asta needs it now," Esa gasped out, "She's in much more pain than I am." She said, trying to stand again. Jak made a sound of frustration deep in the back of his throat.

"Would you just...?" He asked in agitation, "Stop being you?"

Esa raised an eyebrow at him, wincing as she shifted. "Yes, I'll just stop existing, Jak."

"No! Stop worrying about others before yourself. Esa, this is really, really bad." He said, his eyebrows coming together, "I'm getting Cris." He declared. He jumped up, but Esa made a strangled sound.

"But what if another tiger comes?" She asked. Jak smiled.

"You would have had that tiger yourself if you hadn't tripped. You'll manage." He said assuredly, also confirming her suspicions Jak had a hand in freezing the tiger. She began to piece it all together. By the time Cris and Jak returned, she had it figured out. But she needed him to say it.

At first, Cris was pre-occupied with the tiger. He whistled.

"That'll make a great meal." He said with a grin, showing his teeth, "And lots of new pelts." He said.

"I think some of it should go to Esa first." Jak said, and Cris swung his head around, startling back at her ripped dress.

"Wow. Yeah, her first." He agreed, and came around to her back, "Great moons..."

"I'm going to find that plant that you're so intent on getting." Jak said, waving to her, "I'll be back soon. Don't want to get in Cris's way." He added. Cris gave him a thankful nod.

Esa tried to place herself anywhere but the pain as Cris cleaned her.

"Just as one wound heals, you get another one. You're a bit accident prone." Cris chuckled.

"I don't try." Esa said in a sharp intake of breath, "Ow."

"You're really testing my skills." Cris said, "Making me actually have to heal people."

"Poor you." Esa laughed, but the vibrations running through her body sent her into pain.

Jak returned just as he was finishing, and Jak handed her his staff as she got up. Shoving her weight on the steady stick, she felt a little like a new deer, unsteady and fragile legs. Her back still cried in pain, and she watched through narrowed eyes to suppress it as Jak and Cris worked to gut the tiger of the organs and hoist it between their backs. Cris looked greatly uncomfortable at Esa's state of dress, but she was less concerned. Delicate as mist, Esa tried a new trick she'd been practicing, and created a temporary outfit from her ice. Jak looked extremely impressed at this.

As the group hobbled back into the camp, there was a thousand questions, all of which Esa ignored and rushed into the birthing den.

"Bout time you-woah, what happened?" Asta panted, her eyes widening.

"You have no idea what I just went through to get these." Esa replied frostily, but smiled, trying not to move, and gave her the plants. The next couple hours, Esa hardly noticed her back as she coached Asta in breathing and pushing. By the mid-day, the breaking cry of a small baby tore through the camp, and Hic was in there immediately.

"It's a girl." Rup cried, rubbing tears away from her own eyes, "It's so pretty, Hic!"

"Rup," Esa coughed, "Let's leave them together." She said, motioning outside. Rup's eyes widened with a silent understanding and the pair exited.

Rup was joined by Fyn, who kissed her head, and he guided her over to where the tiger meat was roasting over a fire. Esa zeroed in on Jak, and stalked over to him, intent on getting answers.

"Esa!" Jak seemed pleased with himself, "Look. I mean, I'm not the best seamstress..." He trailed off, holding up her new clothes from where he was working on them. The flash of orange color was something new, and Esa was actually quite pleased with it. The sentiment that he'd made it for her shook her to the core.

"Try it on." He urged, and Esa smiled widly, jumping behind a rock and putting it on. It fit in a way that she felt...empowered. Beautiful, even. She'd always considered her sister the more attractive one, but now...

"Wow..." Jak smiled at her, "I did great." He said, and Esa laughed for some reason she couldn't explain.

"Jak," She shook her head, then sobered, "Jak...I need to know seriously, you did that...didn't you?"

"Did what, Esa?" Jak raised an eyebrow. Esa huffed.

"Don't be coy. The magic, the frozen water."

"Ah, yes. That. That I did." He said casually, and Esa's eyes widened. Jak noticed, seeing he was't going to get off so easily, and pressed his lips together into a thin line, "Look, only Hic knows. And we both agreed that we didn't think people would respond well to it. Fire is warm and life-giving, mine is not." He said, shrugging.

"But mine..." Esa frowned.

"People reacted more strangely than I thought?" Jak put up his hands, "But after more than five moon sets, why tell them now? I'm fine just being average."

"You're much more than average." Esa assured, sitting next to him, and she felt her shoulder brush his. At first, he jumped away, but then, pressed it back fully against hers.

"Maybe." He whispered.

The group moved on. Jak worried about Esa's wounds all the while, and Hic allowed them to stop for her, as indirectly, she had provided them with meat for a good while, and even new pelts for his new daughter to be swaddled on. After another twelve days, it seemed the mountain was finally in reach.

"It's actually...close." Esa startled back in surprise, "We're almost there, Jak!" She said, and overwhelmed with emotion threw her arms around him. He was initially shocked, but laughed and embraced her too. He surprised her when he pressed his forehead to hers, grinning.

"I know." He murmured, "Just think of what we can do after." He said, "After we reach there."

"What?" Esa frowned, looking at him curiously, "What do you want to Jak when we dont' have to travel anymore?"

"Make a house. Real one. No caves, no offense." He said, and Esa rolled her eyes, "You know, hunt and have good food all the time, domesticate a monster perhaps, have some kids, build my own pond for all my swimming needs-,"

"Wait, what was that?" Esa said, her heart skipping.

"Build a pond...? C'mon, I think monster taming is more odd, Esa." Jak rolled his eyes.

"No, no...the one before that."

"Oh, that one." Jak clicked his tounge, "Children. Yep, those things."

Esa felt herself grow warm with emotion to hear him talk about so casually. "And..." She wasn't sure how to continue.

"And what Esa?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with emotion.

"Nothing, Jak." Esa replied back with mirth, seeing the frustration flash across his face.

"You're going to make me, the guy, say it." Jak realized, pushing her softly, "You tiger."

"Ask what?" Esa pretend to be oblivious, widening her eyes in innocence.

"If you would be so kind or pleased to be the one we do those sorts of things with?" He asked.

Esa had some witty remark in the back of her mind, but it all vanished as soon as she said it. In fact, literally her whole mind went blank. All she could manage was a shaky and jerky nod.

"Awww!" Asta came up behind them, throwing her arms over their shoulders, "Now kiss, you cuties."

"Asta, way to ruin the moment." Hic muttered, "But really. Good for you two. Did I ever think Jak would want to be domestic? Heck naw." He said, nudging his friend on the shoulder.

Jak shrugged, "What can I say? Esa has that effect on me. Probably on other men too, but I got to her first." He said proudly.

"I chose you," Esa corrected.

"You did, didn't you." Jak turned to her, a serious look in his blue eyes, "You really did."

He seemed caught up in that fact, and the smile never left his face the whole next couple of nights. That night, and for the rest after, no one said anything except smile as he pulled his sleeping pelts close to hers and the pair fell asleep tangled in each other's arms.

They spent every waking moment together, discussing deep things like what happened after and what lay beyond. They talked about what their kids might look like, what their dream hut would be, and which animal Jak should try to wrangle. They mixed the serious talk with joking things, and it was so darn good that Esa couldn't believe how afraid she'd been of all of this seemingly a lifetime ago.

He kissed her first, as Esa had only seen others and didn't know the first thing, and it awoke seemingly every nerve in her body. There were many stolen moments between traveling when hands traveled and both wanted to go farther, but the constraints of travel and the excitement on almost getting there was so palpable that the nights got shorter and shorter to travel during it instead.

"First thing when we get to this darn promised place." Jak moaned against her neck, her fingers curling his his white hair, "I swear."

"I agree." Esa breathed, feeling his fluttering hear against her own.

Then...it happened. The Great Divide. Their last obstacle before the mountain peak. It was a maze of caves as far as anyone could see.

"How should we figure this out?" Someone questioned. Jak, Hir, and Tad discussed things for a very long time. No one could climb up to see the path out, and it seemed they'd have to figure it out manually. Tad wanted people to split up, for the best chance, and for everyone to carry a shell whistle if they got lost or found a way out, two different pitches for the different scenarios. Hic was firmly against splitting up, and Hir was just anxious- as the youngest before Asta's baby- to get moving, with his seemingly infinite energy.

The earth began to shake around them.

"The ruin wasn't supposed to catch up, not yet!" Someone cried in fear, and all Hic's power was lost as people rushed to the caves for safety. Esa heard him yelling of the bedlam, but it didn't little work, and even Esa and Jak were shoved through one of the entrances and pushed around by the crowd until they found themselves moving along, away from the shaking. Soon enough, they found themselves alone with only one other pair.

"Esa!" Aha cried, "you're okay!" She said, flinging herslef around her sister. Han stood next to her, once again, face undecipherable.

"That was scary." Esa agreed, and took a chance to look around, "What...Where are we?" There was silence, complete silence. Just the slow dripping of a stream somewhere in the cave that was vaguely familiar to Esa.

"The shells!" Aha said, and Esa shook her head. Neither she nor Jak had the time to grab it. Aha rummaged in her pelt sling, but her face fell when she just pulled out broken shards.

"I guess we use our brains, then." Han said, glancing around, "And get out alive."

"Yes, that would be the general plan." Jak agreed, and the males began to examine the walls carefully. Esa hung back, and held her breath. She hadn't realized she had until she let it go when both men came to the conclusion to go to the left. If they were in unison, they just might get out alive still.

It continued so tediously like this what seemed like eons, but Aha and Esa never said anything to distract them. There was soon a light at the end of the tunnel.

"See?" Han turned to Aha and gave her a lazy smile, "I knew I could get you out of here."

"Uh, did I do nothing?" Jak waved a hand. Han gave him a distasteful look. Esa felt herself pushing forward, something she would have never done in her past, to be the first to see if the had truly reached the end of the caves. The anticipation of freedom and living life was at her fingertips, so close, and she couldn't' help but looking back at Jak with a large grin. Her companion. The words thudded through her body like the beating of her heart, so obvious, so meant to be that it scared her. It felt so right, though, like in this world, they flowed down the same river.

Han strode up to stand near her. She stood on the edge, but saw nothing. Bitter disappointment crawled into her body and she took a step back. Han gasped in frustration, leaning forward farther. It was then Esa heard the awful cracking sound, and the cliff fell away beneath Han's feet. Frantically, his fingers lunged out and grabbed Esa for balance, but she felt herself being pulled over the edge as well.

She didn't have time to think as Jak shoved Esa back toward Aha, the safety, putting himself in her place. Esa let out a strangled cry as she saw Han and Jak teeter near the safety and security, before ultimately falling over in a storm of dust and pebbles. Aha gave an anguished scream that Esa didn't know her capable of making, and she went to the sloped ledge near them, and began shoving herself down. Esa followed her sister, ignoring as sharp stones shoved themselves under her nails and her back protested. At the bottom of the pit, she saw the men struggling in a black substance.

"Tar." Han hissed to Aha, "Quickly! Help!" He said, fear flashing across his face. Aha danced on her feet for a couple moments, before grabbed a tree brach on the ground and shoving it to him.

"Esa! Help me get him out!" Aha said, tears streaming down her face, "Please, I need you!"

Esa was focused on Jak, who was in a worse position than Han. It seemed that he'd taken the blunt of the fall, and was sinking more rapidly into the tar than Han. He looked at Esa, and motioned his head toward Han, saying it was okay to go help Aha first. Esa gave a firm shake of her head, but Jak smiled comfortingly to her, nodding.

"Esa!" Aha's shrill cry rang through her mind, "We can get him after! I promise, three will be better than one, please, help me before we lose them both!"

Esa shook her head, and ran to her sister. Aha's logic was solid, but she couldn't help but worry. Worry about the growing darkness that had planted itself in her stomach and wouldn't budge.

Han grasped the tar-stained stick, and after it seemed as though with anymore effort, Esa's arms would be ripped out of her body, there was a suctioning sound as Han came free. Esa took no time to take the tree and grab it away.

"Aha, come on." She said, and her sister leapt to action. Jak feebly reached for it, but his eyes were blinking open and closed, and Esa saw bright red blood dripping through his pristine white hair.

"Han!" Aha cried, "Help us, we got you."

"I nearly died, can I get a moment?" He asked, and Aha sent him the nastiest look Esa had ever seen him give. He gave a groan, but got up. He even seem disturbed and concerned for Jack, who was now up to his neck with his finger sticking above.

"No." Jak pushed the branches away, "I'm too late. Even if you get me out..." He looked up to where the blood trickled down his face.

"No!" Esa cried, slamming her fists on the tar, sending ice freezing it completely over and halting it, "I refuse to believe that!"

"Esa, shh..." Jak said, and Esa climbed over the frozen tar, to where she was pressing her forehead to his own, thick tears splattering on the frozen tar.

"I just...if this...Han..." Esa whimpered quietly, and Jak frowned.

"It was no one's fault, meant to happen." He said in a sage tone. Esa blanched.

"Us never meant to be together? How...how could you say that?" She was offended.

"Esa, remember when we talked about after this life?" He asked, and Esa nodded, "How I told you I'm positive there is something after, something more?"

"Yeah, I do." Esa said, "But Jak-,"

"Shh, listen." He said, and it seemed he was taking a great effort to keep focused, "This is not the end of us, I promise. I swear. I promise Esa; in any life, in any form, in any situation that makes us in the future, I will find you, and we will be happy. Because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you and me...we were always meant to be together. Deeper than companions, like others have. Any life. Repeat it, Esa."

"Any life." Esa echoed faintly, her head spinning.

"Good...good. Believe it, and remember it." He said, "I love you."

"Love..." Esa murmured, feeling the word rocket through every vein, "I love you too."

Jak smiled, "Go. You don't want to be here at the end of me. Might not be..." He trailed off, and his head sagged a bit, and he blinked awake, "Pretty."

Numbly, Esa felt fingers of Aha on her arms dragging her away. Even Han looked aghast, and he kept apologizing, until the words held no meaning to her. She shouldn't be so upset, before, even with her parent, she had just accepted death as inevitable, even if it wasn't their time. She'd become soft, used to everyone being safe in her group, no deaths. She'd forgotten that it happened. She'd forgotten the way it tore through her heart. Everything was just as if she was stumbling through a trance and when she finally made it to the end, she hardly believed it.

"You guys, you did it!" Hic said in relief, and he hugged them all. Then, he turned back, his eyes glancing around, and his faltered, "Where's...Jak?" Esa realized that she wasn't the only one loosing him, that she wasn't the only one with a monopoly on his emotions toward him. She looked at Hic with deep, dark eyes.

"He's up there." She sniffled, looking at the mountain. At first, she saw Hic refused to believe it too.

"He made it out first?" He wheezed hopefully.

"No, farther than this world." Esa confirmed. If she had any love for Jak, she had to believe they'd find each other. Otherwise what was the point of any of this. Hic's eyes looked at the tar on Han, and his whole body crumpled in, and he suddenly looked really small.

"Oh, oh, Esa..." He breathed, "Oh, Esa..." He seemed at a complete loss for words. Esa shoved back her tears.

"It's fine, Hic." She said, "Let's just continue. I'm going to see Jak again one day. That much is certain."

Hic looked at her with a befuddled expression, "How can you be so...so confident?" He asked, eyes swimming with grief.

"Because when you love someone, that's just what you believe." Esa said, and nodded, "Let's go, right?" She said pressing forward, "Let's see this promised place."

SOULS

Such promises are common between lovers, great declarations of promises for other lives. I've heard incarnations of it so many times that it's almost too cliched for me. And well, they were beginning forms. I doubted it would be so, patched Jak up as he came through my doors, and sent him back out again. I very much doubted that they would indeed find each other again. I suppose I can say I was glad I was wrong this first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the part at the end, if you couldn't guess, was the Lady of the Galaxy. Sometimes you'll hear her chime in, many times she'll be silent. Depends on what's happened!
> 
> How was the first installment of many? Brownie points if you can guess everyone from the Disney or Dreamworks I used with their cave-man names! Teehee...
> 
> Also, I have found 100 different inspirations, but some of them are still iffy...so if you have an AU you really want to see, go ahead and suggest it, unless it's a Dinsey one...because I pretty much assure you I have it. Dreamworks too. After having found 100, you're going to have to get REALLY creative to get something not on my list, and I have drawn from books, T.V shows, movies, plays, musicals...so, yep!
> 
> Review with thoughts and love :) Have a wondeful friday, everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Not much yet, I know, but after this we will actually see Jelsa. This is just a little preview to get y'all excited and all! The first actual chapter of AU should be up within 2-3 weeks (I know, it's a long time, blame college...)
> 
> BUT! I have three things.
> 
> First off, I have just a little shy of 75 lover prompts. So I reach out to you for your help. It can be inspired by like basically most love stories, I can make it work. I already have Disney and Dreamworks creations covered, but I need other couples you'd liked to see AU'd by Jack and Elsa (ie; Darcy and Elizabeth, Gatsby and Daisy, Jim and Pam), couples like that! Be sure to give me the place it comes from too- what book, movie, play, tv-show, ect- just in case I'm not familiar. I can't promise i'll use it, but there's a darn good chance I will.
> 
> Also, if anyone is a lovely artist that would be inspired to make a cover for this, I would seriously LOVE you forever :) 
> 
> Also also, I'm going to be posting a 'next time' before this wraps up each time, just with the upcoming next date it takes place, and if you guess the Movie or the couple, you get to see the chapter early!
> 
> So, without further ado...
> 
> Next Chapter: 2.58 million B.C.


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